diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
index 1d332e62a..b03a4f52d 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
@@ -235,6 +235,11 @@ def data(readonly=False):
              SettingValue(typ.Perc(), '100%'),
              "The default zoom level."),
 
+            ('downloads-at-top',
+            SettingValue(typ.Bool(), 'true'),
+            "Whether to show downloaded files at top, "
+            "false will show at bottom."),
+
             ('message-timeout',
              SettingValue(typ.Int(), '2000'),
              "Time (in ms) to show messages in the statusbar for."),
diff --git a/qutebrowser/mainwindow/mainwindow.py b/qutebrowser/mainwindow/mainwindow.py
index dbcead867..8f48c9155 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/mainwindow/mainwindow.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/mainwindow/mainwindow.py
@@ -90,19 +90,12 @@ class MainWindow(QWidget):
         self._vbox.setContentsMargins(0, 0, 0, 0)
         self._vbox.setSpacing(0)
 
-        log.init.debug("Initializing downloads...")
-        download_manager = downloads.DownloadManager(self.win_id, self)
-        objreg.register('download-manager', download_manager, scope='window',
-                        window=self.win_id)
-
-        self._downloadview = downloadview.DownloadView(self.win_id)
-        self._vbox.addWidget(self._downloadview)
-        self._downloadview.show()
-
-        self._tabbed_browser = tabbedbrowser.TabbedBrowser(self.win_id)
-        objreg.register('tabbed-browser', self._tabbed_browser, scope='window',
-                        window=self.win_id)
-        self._vbox.addWidget(self._tabbed_browser)
+        if config.get('ui', 'downloads-at-top'):
+            self._init_downloadview()
+            self._init_tabbed_browser()
+        else:
+            self._init_tabbed_browser()
+            self._init_downloadview()
 
         # We need to set an explicit parent for StatusBar because it does some
         # show/hide magic immediately which would mean it'd show up as a
@@ -142,6 +135,22 @@ class MainWindow(QWidget):
         if section == 'completion' and option in ('height', 'shrink'):
             self.resize_completion()
 
+    def _init_downloadview(self):
+        log.init.debug("Initializing downloads...")
+        download_manager = downloads.DownloadManager(self.win_id, self)
+        objreg.register('download-manager', download_manager, scope='window',
+                        window=self.win_id)
+
+        self._downloadview = downloadview.DownloadView(self.win_id)
+        self._vbox.addWidget(self._downloadview)
+        self._downloadview.show()
+
+    def _init_tabbed_browser(self):
+        self._tabbed_browser = tabbedbrowser.TabbedBrowser(self.win_id)
+        objreg.register('tabbed-browser', self._tabbed_browser, scope='window',
+                        window=self.win_id)
+        self._vbox.addWidget(self._tabbed_browser)
+
     def _load_state_geometry(self):
         """Load the geometry from the state file."""
         state_config = objreg.get('state-config')